Bill McRight

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The son of two Presbyterian ministers, Bill McRight was born in Decatur, Georgia and grew up in Georgia and Florida. McRight holds a BFA from Winthrop University in South Carolina and an MFA in Printmaking from the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York. He currently lives and works in Philadelphia and is part of the artist collective Space 1026.

McRight’s work include linoleum cut prints, drawings and three-dimensional objects. In his most recent body of work, he has crafted shivs and handmade weapons from found materials. When making the shivs, McRight draws upon the traditions of the prehistoric, fashioning blades from shards of obsidian. The artist collects materials found in streets and at flea markets and repurposes them into crude weapons by utilizing discarded bits of metal, old screwdrivers and broken baseball bats, converting them into bludgeoning weapons. These items are given new life as not only utilitarian, but also decorative art objects.

McRight’s work is influenced by an interest in individuals and groups of people who exist on the fringes of society, including soccer hooligans, street gangs, prisoners and metal heads. Growing up with punk rock music and skateboarding, McRight is fascinated with individuals and groups who depart from mainstream society.